New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-08


sovNys-LIGHT PUNIsHMhNi
SERIOUS fAULr-LITERAht,
soNAI AND DRAMATIC
NOTES.
,nxcIpLE TO THE TRrBuNki
in d. yo,th lrssricdn CdoH He"' w.
-, Nav Flour days OF depa'e 'n
49,, crime have ended as they O'e"'
-s,h the refusal Of the House Of Commons " -. -
.,,,,o into the matter at all Inc i'''''
~. ..,,sf.otorv to anybody, but II any'ouY
au0o :. =. the Government II anybody haS
.. d the parnellites. They are no" aOi0
,hsv have offered to submit all queeO'o,'
,ased by "Ihe Times to conlml''''
r.,,ss of Commons and the House mas ''iu'''''
...sors for refusal are plausible enough aS
..a hv Mr. Goschen, but the country uoe'
.ono.rn itself deeply about reasons Inc
English were certainly disposed to oeile'e '"'''
.,rst bs something in "The Illness ch"e''
nscauso tho Irish would not prosecute
nyr0as for libel The Irish reasons also "ef0 pc
n,ous;b,e but neither were they considered
pecple Judge broadly, and details mako ho P''
manent impression. ~.
Mr. t;ladstone's proposal for select comnhV'ee
AID not offer the best tribunal, perhops' iof III
vestirating the charges, but it was triounai'
Mr. Morley's few words at the end Oh inc o'O"''
enlarged the jurisdiction of the comni''ee "
,,o,rds all the charges. Mr. ParneiPs offer TO SUD-
nit to the same committee the question Oh inc gen.
,;nsness of "The Times's" letter almost compelled
b;s1 Mr.
Dillon took almost the same line. Botn proieSsou
;ndiference and neither seemed to care much ABOUT
the accusation of completely with criminals bu'
since it disquieted their Liberal allies they were
r;,,;nc that the committee should look into the
question
Rut the Ministry elects to stand on precedent ana
ON nice points of Parliamentary privileges. All
that could be said in defence of such course was
sa,d by Mr.. Goschen, whose speech was described
nv Mr.. Dillon as one of extraordinary debating
power apd bnlliancy. His reply to MT.
Gladstone was singularly pointed and
effective. The truth is that Mr. Gladstone slightly
alarmed his friends by his speech on Thursday.
His attack on Sir James Stephen as judge who
had descended from the bench to mingle IN polti-
cal strife, was incidental but say his critics.
characteristic. So Of his doubts about the
tmpartiahty of jaries. ' How unfortunate Is
it, observed Mr. Goschen, THAT Mr.. Gadstone's
alliance with the Home Rulers has brought him in
to collision with many institutions of his country
aud now, last of ALL with the courts and trial by
jury" If any thing break the force of the gen.
erai feeling that tho Government have blundered.
it will be Mt Goschen's speech. The whole argu-
ment on the other side" said be. reduces itself to
this: They invite their Irish allies not to go into
court of law because less likely to find justice there
than before committee of the House" The
Tories cbeered; the Liberals sat silent. MARK
their silence!" cried Mr.. Goschen; "thev
have thrown discredit on British justicel
Mr. Gladstone this occasion only
is prepared to have confidence in the intelligence
of English gentlemen and appeal from the masses
to the classes"
That is brilliant debating but no amount Of
brilliant debating can impair the effect of Mr..
Dllon's appeal to the House as honorable gentle
men not to deny him and his
friends the opportunity they claimed OF
establishing their innocence " now," said Mr.
Dillon deliberately alege on behalf of my col
leagues. as we'll as myself, that we have cews
which we have good reason ohope would enable us
to trace the forgers Of the forged letter and expose
the entire conspiracy in its nakedness to the
British public Those who question the sincerity OF
that declaration ought to be the most eager to
grant Mr.. Dillon the opportunity he asks and put
1t to the test His closing sentence expresses the
Judgment of many impartial men among the
Tories. "Those who vote against this proposal,
said Mr.. Dillon, " will have resting their heads
never investigated" That Is clearly the view of
"The Standard" which before now has shown itself
moro closely III touch with public opinion than the
Cabinet chiefs. That powerful journal stills holds
the refusal to accept the proposal for committee
to be grave error. 1t admits that the Irish have
avowed their readiness to face the judgment of
their peers. Nothing can deprive them of the bcDi-
fit of that Offer
hear that feeling In the House among the Tories
is very strong that they have been badly led. Mr.
W. II. Smith with all his respectable qualities is
no man for an emergency. Had Mr.. Goschen or
Lord Randolph Churchill been leader things might
and probably would have taken different course
Both of course supported Mr. Smith
loyalty. Neither would have fallen into the
same mistakes There is, ipdeed but one theory OF
which the policy of the Government is defensible
as matter of tactics. namely. their doubt whether
"Ihe Timess" charges could be sustained Bnt that
is Q theory on which honorable men would not be
likely to base grave decision of the gravost
issues that ever came before Parliament.
Not the least sinking enis1de Of thu dehata Iast